Playpen including a frame member and a fabric enclosure member

ABSTRACT

A playpen includes a frame member and a fabric enclosure member. The frame member includes a top frame unit and a plurality of leg units that are connected to the top frame unit. Each of the leg units includes a plurality of first fasteners that are spacedly arranged along a longitudinal direction thereof. The fabric enclosure member includes a plurality of second fasteners for engaging respectively the first fasteners for securing the fabric enclosure member to the frame member. The fabric enclosure member cooperates with the leg units and the top frame unit of the frame member to define an inner play space.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Chinese Application No.200910151600.7, filed on Jul. 3, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a playpen, more particularly to aplaypen including a frame member and a fabric enclosure member.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional rectangular playpen includesa frame member 8 and a fabric enclosure member 9 that can be secured tothe frame member 8. The frame member 8 and the fabric enclosure member 9can be assembled to define an inner play space within which infants andyoung children can perform activities.

The frame member 8 includes four leg units 81 disposed at the fourcorners, respectively, and the fabric enclosure member 9 is disposed toenclose an outer periphery defined by the leg units 81. The fabricenclosure member 9 is secured to the leg units 81 in a stretched stateby a plurality of screws 82, each of which extends through a washer 83,the fabric enclosure member 9, and a lower portion of a respective oneof the leg units 81 in the order given.

However, securing the fabric enclosure member 9 to the leg units 81 withthe use of the screws 82 generally requires a longer assembly time, anddamages the fabric enclosure member 9 such that the fabric enclosuremember 9 is susceptible to tearing at parts where the screws 82 pass. Inaddition, the playpen is aesthetically compromised by the screws 82.

Referring to FIG. 3, U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,437 discloses a playpenincluding a collapsible frame member 10, and a fabric enclosure member15 adapted to enclose the frame member 10 so as to define an inner playspace within which infants and young children can perform activities.The frame member 10 includes a plurality of corner pieces 11, aplurality of elongated hand rails 12 pivoted to the corner pieces 11, aplurality of foot pieces 13, and a plurality of leg units 14 connectedto the corner pieces 11. In the assembly process of the playpen, the legunits 14 must be extended through the fabric enclosure member 15 forcoupling between the corner pieces 11 and the foot pieces 13. However,the leg units 14 are free to move about relative to the fabric enclosuremember 15, which may hinder the assembly process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a playpenincluding a frame member and a fabric enclosure member that can overcomeat least one of the above drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the present invention, a playpen includes a frame memberand a fabric enclosure member. The frame member includes a top frameunit and a plurality of leg units that are connected to the top frameunit. Each of the leg units includes a plurality of first fasteners thatare spacedly arranged along a longitudinal direction thereof. The fabricenclosure member includes a plurality of second fasteners for engagingrespectively the first fasteners for securing the fabric enclosuremember to the frame member. The fabric enclosure member cooperates withthe leg units and the top frame unit of the frame member to define aninner play space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a frame memberadapted for use with a fabric enclosure member that includes a pluralityof fastener parts. Accordingly, a frame member of the present inventionincludes a top frame unit and a plurality of leg units connected to thetop frame unit. Each of the leg units includes a plurality of fastenerpieces that are spacedly arranged along a longitudinal directionthereof, and that are adapted for engaging respectively the fastenerparts of the fabric enclosure member for securing the fabric enclosuremember to the frame member in a manner that the fabric enclosure membercooperates with the leg units and the top frame unit of the frame memberto define an inner play space.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fabricenclosure member adapted to be secured to a frame member that includes atop frame unit and a plurality of leg units connected to the top frameunit. Each of the leg units includes a plurality of fastener pieces thatare spacedly arranged along a longitudinal direction thereof.Accordingly, a fabric enclosure member of the present invention includesa fabric enclosure body provided with a plurality of fastener parts thatare adapted for engaging respectively the fastener pieces of the legunits for securing the fabric enclosure member to the frame member in amanner that the fabric enclosure member cooperates with the leg unitsand the top frame unit of the frame member to define an inner playspace.

Through engaging the first fasteners of the frame member with the secondfasteners of the fabric enclosure member, the fabric enclosure membercan be assembled to the frame member without the use of screws, therebyshortening the assembly time and improving the durability of theplaypen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional playpen thatuses screws to assemble a fabric enclosure member to a frame member;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the conventional playpen ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another conventional playpen, which isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,437;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of aplaypen according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view illustrating first andsecond fasteners of the playpen of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the second preferredembodiment of a playpen according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view illustrating first andsecond fasteners of the playpen of the second preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it shouldbe noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numeralsthroughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the first preferred embodiment of a playpen2 according to the present invention includes a frame member 21 and afabric enclosure member 22 assembled to the frame member 21. The framemember 21 is a rectangular frame member, and includes a top frame unit211, a bottom frame unit 212, and a plurality of curved leg units 213connected to and disposed at four corners of the top frame unit 211 andthe bottom frame unit 212.

The top frame unit 211 includes a plurality of corner pieces 211 a and aplurality of elongated hand rails 211 b connected to the corner pieces211 a. Each of the leg units 213 is connected to a corresponding one ofthe corner pieces 211 a. Each of the leg units 213 includes a pluralityof first fasteners (or fastener pieces) 215 that are spacedly arrangedalong a longitudinal direction thereof. The fabric enclosure member 22has a fabric enclosure body 220 with a plurality of elongated flapportions 222 that are respectively adjacent to the leg units 213, and aplurality of sleeve portions 221 for extension of the hand rails 211 bof the top frame unit 211 therethrough, respectively. The fabricenclosure member 22 further includes a plurality of second fasteners (orfastener parts) 223 that are disposed on the elongated flap portions 222along a longitudinal direction of the same, that are disposed tocorrespond respectively to the first fasteners 215, and that are forengaging respectively the first fasteners 215 of an adjacent one of theleg units 213 so as to secure the fabric enclosure member 22 to theframe member 21. Each of the sleeve portions 221 is formed by folding atop portion of the fabric enclosure member 22 toward the bottom of thefabric enclosure member 22, and sewing the folded portion to the fabricenclosure member 22 along a transverse direction between two adjacentones of the leg units 213.

The fabric enclosure member 22 is secured to the leg units 213 and thehand rails 211 b of the top frame unit 211 to define an inner play space3 within which infants and young children can perform activities. Thefirst fasteners 215 are disposed to face toward the inner play space 3.

The bottom frame unit 212 includes a plurality of foot pieces 212 a anda plurality of base rods 212 b pivoted to the foot pieces 212 a. Each ofthe foot pieces 212 a is connected to a corresponding one of the legunits 213.

Referring to FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the first fasteners 215are riveted to the leg units 213. Each of the first fasteners 215 is amale snap fastener formed with a protrusion 215 a, and each of thesecond fasteners 223 is a female snap fastener formed with a recess 223a for engaging releasably the protrusion 215 a of a corresponding one ofthe first fasteners 215. However, arrangement of the first and secondfasteners 215, 223 is not limited to such. That is to say, in anotherembodiment of the present invention, each of the first fasteners 215 canbe a female snap fastener formed with a recess, and each of the secondfasteners 223 can be a male snap fastener formed with a protrusion forengaging releasably the recess in a corresponding one of the firstfasteners 215.

Assembling the fabric enclosure member 22 to the frame member 21includes the steps of:

Step 1) disposing the fabric enclosure member 22 on the base rods 212 b;

Step 2) sleeving each of the sleeve portions 221 on a corresponding oneof the hand rails 211 b; and

Step 3) engaging the second fasteners 223 on the elongated flap portions222 to the first fasteners 215 of the leg units 213.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in the second preferred embodiment of aplaypen 2 according to the present invention, each of the leg units 213includes a plurality of first fasteners (or fastener pieces) 219, eachof which is formed with an insert slot 219 a. The fabric enclosuremember 22 includes a plurality of second fasteners (or fastener parts)224, each of which is formed with an inverted L-shaped hook 224 a forengaging the insert slot 219 a of a corresponding one of the firstfasteners 219. Similar to the first preferred embodiment, arrangement ofthe first and second fasteners 219, 224 in the second preferredembodiment is not limited to such. That is to say, in another embodimentof the present invention, each of the second fasteners 224 can be formedwith an insert slot, and each of the first fasteners 219 can be formedwith an inverted L-shaped hook for engaging the insert slot of acorresponding one of the second fasteners 224.

In summary, by virtue of the first fasteners 215, 219 of the framemember 21 and the second fasteners 223, 224 of the fabric enclosuremember 22, the fabric enclosure member 22 can be assembled to the framemember 21 without the use of screws, thereby shortening the assemblytime and improving the durability of the playpen 2 of this invention.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatare considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A playpen comprising: a frame member including a top frame unit and aplurality of leg units that are connected to said top frame unit, eachof said leg units including a plurality of first fasteners that arespacedly arranged along a longitudinal direction thereof; and a fabricenclosure member including a plurality of second fasteners for engagingrespectively said first fasteners for securing said fabric enclosuremember to said frame member, said fabric enclosure member cooperatingwith said leg units and said top frame unit of said frame member todefine an inner play space.
 2. The playpen as claimed in claim 1,wherein said first fasteners are disposed on said leg units, and aredisposed to face toward said inner play space.
 3. The playpen as claimedin claim 1, wherein said fabric enclosure member has a plurality ofelongated flap portions respectively adjacent to said leg units, andsaid second fasteners are disposed on said elongated flap portions andcorrespond respectively to said first fasteners.
 4. The playpen asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said first fasteners are riveted to said legunits.
 5. The playpen as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said firstfasteners is formed with a protrusion, and each of said second fastenersis formed with a recess for engaging releasably said protrusion of acorresponding one of said first fasteners.
 6. The playpen as claimed inclaim 4, wherein each of said second fasteners is formed with aprotrusion, and each of said first fasteners is formed with a recess forengaging releasably said protrusion of a corresponding one of saidsecond fasteners.
 7. The playpen as claimed in claim 1, wherein each ofsaid second fasteners is formed with an inverted L-shaped hook, and eachof said first fasteners is formed with an insert slot for releasablyengaging said hook of a corresponding one of said second fasteners. 8.The playpen as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first fastenersis formed with an inverted L-shaped hook, and each of said secondfasteners is formed with an insert slot for releasably engaging saidhook of a corresponding one of said first fasteners.
 9. The playpen asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said leg units are curved.
 10. The playpenas claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame member further includes abottom frame unit, and said leg units are connected to said bottom frameunit.
 11. The playpen as claimed in claim 10, wherein: said top frameunit includes a plurality of corner pieces and a plurality of hand railspivoted to said corner pieces, and said bottom frame unit includes aplurality of foot pieces and a plurality of base rods pivoted to saidfoot pieces.
 12. A frame member adapted for use with a fabric enclosuremember that includes a plurality of fastener parts, said frame membercomprising: a top frame unit; and a plurality of leg units that areconnected to said top frame unit, each of said leg units including aplurality of fastener pieces that are spacedly arranged along alongitudinal direction thereof, and that are adapted for engagingrespectively the fastener parts of the fabric enclosure member forsecuring the fabric enclosure member to said frame member in a mannerthat the fabric enclosure member cooperates with said top frame unit andsaid leg units of said frame member to define an inner play space.
 13. Afabric enclosure member adapted to be secured to a frame member thatincludes a top frame unit and a plurality of leg units connected to thetop frame unit, each of the leg units including a plurality of fastenerpieces that are spacedly arranged along a longitudinal directionthereof, said fabric enclosure member comprising a fabric enclosure bodyprovided with a plurality of fastener parts that are adapted forengaging respectively the fastener pieces of the leg units for securingsaid fabric enclosure member to the frame member in a manner that saidfabric enclosure member cooperates with the leg units and the top frameunit of the frame member to define an inner play space.